82 per cent turnout in Malta's first Euro election

Turnout in Malta's first-ever election for the European Parliament, held yesterday, was about 82 per cent, by the time polling stations closed at 10 p.m. according to unofficial reports. This is around 14 per cent less than that registered in the general election held in April last year.

A total of 294,129 persons were entitled to vote, after 10,149 failed to collect their voting document by Thursday. This was substantially higher than the 2,377 who did not collect their voting document last year.

The largest amount of unclaimed documents, 1,910, were in the 12th district (Gharghur, Mellieha, Mgarr, Naxxar and St Paul's Bay).

By 2 p.m. turnout stood at 38 per cent, compared to 49 per cent in 2003.

Voters in 22 localities, six of which in Gozo, also had to elect their local councils for another three-year term. Turnout in these elections was 71.4 per cent in the same localities three years ago. Those eligible to vote in the local elections were 95,234.

Voters in Malta joined some 350 million voters in the 24 other EU nations to elect the 732 members of the European Parliament. Voting, which in Britain and the Netherlands was held on Thursday, ends today.

For the EP election, the whole of Malta and Gozo for the first time constituted a single district.

The counting of the votes cast in the EP election is expected to start in the central counting hall at Ta' Qali at around noon today following the long and wearying sorting process distributing the valid votes cast among the 27 candidates contesting the five posts of Member of the European Parliament.

The official result of the first count votes will not be announced before 10 p.m. today, when polling stations close in Italy and other countries where elections are being held.

The Nationalist Party and the Labour Party presented eight candidates each, one candidate was presented by Alternattiva Demokratika - the Green Party, two candidates by "Alpha Party", and eight independents.

The voting process throughout the day was quiet all over the country without queuing and without any incidents being reported.

President and Mrs Fenech Adami and Labour leader Alfred Sant voted at Anthony Valletta Primary School in Birkirkara, the President at 10 a.m., Dr Sant at 2 p.m.

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi cast his vote at St Anne Primary School in Marsascala at 9 a.m. and AD chairman Harry Vassallo at the Sliema Primary School at 10.45 a.m.

Voting started at 7 a.m. and continued until 10 p.m. and boxes started arriving at Ta' Qali just after 11 p.m..

Although the first count votes will probably be known today, the names of all five elected candidates will not be known until later this week, possibly Wednesday.

Candidates will need a quota of over 40,000 votes to be elected.

The EP elections are also being held in the other 24 EU states and close to 350 million people were eligible to vote to elect their 732 representatives for the next five years.

Local elections were held in Attard, Birzebbuga, Floriana, Gharghur, Gzira, Hamrun, Kercem, Luqa, Marsaxlokk, Mosta, Munxar, Paola, Qala, Qormi, Safi, San Lawrenz, Sta Lucija, Siggiewi, Swieqi, Vittoriosa, Xaghra and Zebbug (Gozo). A total of 237 candidates contested these elections.

By 2 p.m. an average of 35 per cent had cast their vote with the highest turnout being in Sta Lucija (44 per cent), the lowest in Siggiewi and Zebbug (Gozo) (28 per cent).

The counting of votes for the local elections will start on Saturday at 8 a.m.

The Department of Information is publishing the official results of both elections on its Website www.doi.gov.mt